Fennel soup with shrimp

This is based on a recipe created by fellow supperclub host James Ramsden, in London. It is very delicate and yet the brown shrimp pack a powerful marine punch as well. A great winter soup.

Serves 4 as a starter

1 large onion

2 bulbs of fennel

1 large floury potato

1 tsp fennel seeds

100ml white wine

500ml vegetable or chicken stock

100g brown shrimp (Nordseekrabben)

butter

a few sprigs of dill

1 lemon

Melt a knob of butter in a largeish saucepan over a medium heat. Peel and chop the onion and fry gently in the butter with a generous pinch of salt until softened and very lightly coloured. Trim the fennel and peel the potato. (If you have any frondy bits on the fennel, add them to the dill for later garnish.) Chop both into chunks and add to the pan along with the fennel seeds. Continue frying for a couple of minutes, then add the wine and scrape a bit at the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing is sticking. A few minutes later, pour in the stock as well.

Bring to the boil and simmer for around 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Blend well.

Return to the pan and taste. I find this soup needs more salt than usual to bring the flavour out and a generous squeeze of lemon usually does not go astray at this point.

Keep the soup warm, just off the boil, while you melt a generous knob of butter in a small frying pan and fry the shrimp for 30 seconds or so, to heat them through and flavour the butter. Tip the lot into the soup and serve immediately, with sprigs of dill and a few drops of olive oil to garnish and lemon quarters and some crusty sourdough bread on the side.